Wright Library
holding ‘Food
for Fines’
OAKWOOD — Wright Memorial Public
Library is planning a “Food for Fines” campaign beginning Friday, June 1 through Friday, June 15. Up to $5 in fines will be
waived for every 1 non-perishable food item
donated.
All food items collected will be donated to
The Foodbank, serving Montgomery, Greene
and Preble counties.
“This is an opportunity for patrons to wipe
their overdue fines clean and do something
helpful for their community,” said Ann Snively, Director.
All non-perishable foods will be accepted.
The Foodbank is most in need of hearty
soups, peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and
cheese, canned meats, rice and beans, evaporated and powdered milk, puddings and
custards, canned fruits, vegetables and juices,
pastas and sauces, hot and cold cereals, and
baking mixes.
Please no glass containers, unlabeled, perishable, or expired/damaged items. There is
no limit on the number or amount of fines that
may be cleared. Fees for lost or damaged
items are not eligible.
The “Food for Fines” campaign is being
held as a way to encourage patrons to return
overdue items and clear their accounts in advance of the library beginning to use a collection agency specializing in recovering unreturned library materials. Additional details regarding this new program are available at
the library.
Wright Library is located at 1776 Far Hills
Avenue. The Library’s hours of operation are
10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. Friday, and 1-5 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday.

Oakwood,
Fairmont
hold
graduations
Oakwood and Fairmont high schools held their graduation ceremonies this past week. At top left, an Oakwood student departs the stage
at the Dayton Convention Center after receiving her diploma. At top right, a Fairmont student celebrates by raising a ‘passport’ overhead.
At bottom right, the family of Fairmont grad Kaela McDaniel showed their pride on their chests. More photos on pages 11 & 12.

Education bill
draws responses
from legislators
By BILL DUFFIELD
Times editor
bduffield@tcnewsnet.com
KETTERING —
The State Senate and
House of Representatives will soon be coming together with the
education of Ohio’s
youth at stake.
Senate Bill 316 has
been passed by the
Senate and is now
awaiting what changes
will be coming in the
House. But how close
are those two governmental bodies from
agreeing?
The bill, which went
to the House last week
and was being discussed in what Rep.
Jim Butler (R-Oakwood) described as an
“informal committee,”
would include changing the grading system
for the state’s school
report cards and also
calls for a “third grade
reading guarantee” that
would hold students
back if the student
could not read at grade
level. The student
would also receive remedial instructions.
“The Senate set the
point of retention,”
State Senator Peggy
Lehner (R-Kettering)
said. “The House doesn’t agree with that.”
Lehner continued
that the standards students and schools will
be held to is changing.
“By 2014, the common core standard will
have to meet the national standard,” she
said. “We put into code
(the numbers) needed
to be proficient without saying that that
will change. That’s not

Sen. Peggy Lehner

Back from
State

Rep. Jim Butler
good. That could mean
a large number of retentions – 65 percent.
“In two years, proficiency will be limited.
We felt it is imperative
to make the changes
before handing out the
punishment. The goal
is to get them ready –
not to retain students.”
She added that part
of this change definitely involves the teachers.
“Teachers, in general, are not trained to
teach reading,” Lehner
said. “We have to have
teachers get the training and have a proficiency rating in teaching reading. That will
not happen overnight.
But we want to give
students and schools
the opportunity to succeed.”
Lehner said the Senate plan would call for
90 minutes a day set
aside for reading in the
See BILL, page 2

Alter and Fairmont were
were well represented at the
OHSAA State Track and
Field Meet. At top, Alter’s
4x400 girls’ relay team of
Erika Rogers, Austin Borton,
Caitlin Mershad and Olivia
Albers finished third in the
state. Borton and Albers
also teamed with Kyly
Borton and Alex Groene to
take second in the 4x800
relay. Albers also took second in the 1,600-meter run.
Fairmont junior Natalie Uy
(right) finished 7th in the
Division I long jump with a
best effort of 17-feet, 2-inches.
Look for more on page 7
Photos by Shawn Bauman

Fire damages
apartments
OAKWOOD — Oakwood
Safety Department crews were
on hand to fight a kitchen fire
in the 2800 block of Shafor
Blvd. at approximately 10:15
a.m. Thursday, May 31.
As of 11 a.m., crews were in
the process of clearing the
scene. Shafor Blvd. was
blocked between Brydon Rd.
and East Dr.